"Romance, to judge by manuscript
transmission, the most popular genre in Iceland through the
centuries, has not been similarly well-received by the critics.
Assessment of the Old-Norse-Icelandic romances, variously called
riddarsögur (sagas of knights, chivalric tales),
lygisögur (lying sagas, fictional stories), fornsögur
Suðrlanda (ancient sagas of southern lands) and
Märchensagen (fairy-tale sagas) have been mostly negative.
...[In recent years,] Old Norse-Icelandic romance has become a
subject of serious scholary inquiry. The change occurred around
the middle of the [20th] century and was generated in large
measure by editorial activity in Demark and Iceland. The
Arnamagnaean Institutes in Copenhagen and Reykjavik have been
seeking to provide a sounder textual basis for literary
criticism with their diplomatic editions of translated and
Icelandic romances alike. "

An indigenous Icelandic saga from the late 14th century.
In the prologue the copyist complains about pride, avarice, and
the amassing of wealth. The following chapter details the
division of the world by Noah's sons. The saga proper begins in
the third chapter. The saga which runs to 71 chapters is
unnecessarily prolonged by lengthy accounts of military
preparations and actions, stock banquets and hunting scenes, as
well as descriptions of gratuitious violence and horror. The
saga focuses on the struggle between the false-king and
the rightful heir to the throne, shifting scenes from one
encampment to the other.

Ála flekks saga
The Saga of Spotted Ali

A native Icelandic saga composed around 1400
Sometimes classified as a Fornaldarsaga

The tale follows the adventures of an exposed son of King
Richard of England, who is found and raised by an old couple who
name him "Spotted Ali" because of a birthmark on his right
check. At the age of eight, he is taken into the king's
household, where he is bound by a wicked maid and sent off to a
troll-woman named Nótt. He escapes and weds a maiden-king, but
is transformed into a werewolf by her brother, until his
foster-mother recognizes him and removes the wolfskin.
Eventually, he assumes his rightful place as heir of the king of
England.

The chief mss. dates from 1280.
A prose translation of the Latin epic Alexandreis,
written in dactylic hexameters by Galterus de Castellione c.
1180, recounting the life and career of Alexander the Great. The
translation is characterized by beautiful language, and an
expansion of the condensed style of the source poem. The
ten books of the poem are not all equally and thoroughly
translated. A note in one of the manuscripts says that Bishop
Brandr Jónsson translated the saga from Latin into Norse. The
same is said in all but two mss. of Gyðinga Saga, which adds
that the translation (or translations) was/were done at the
command of King Magnus, son of King Hakon the Old. As Brandr
Jónsson was known to have been in Norway in 1262-1263, the
translations of both sagas were probably made then.

Translated from Latin in the early 14th century. A tale
about the self-sacrificing friendship of two knights, Amicus and
Amileus, which contrasts their mutual loyalty with a number of
betrayals of trust and the obligations of love by other
characters. The theme is an exposition of the virtues of a
friendship so dear to God that He works miracles on its
behalf. Traditionally, all versions of the story are assigned to
one of two categories: romance or haliography. A comparison of
the oldest extant version of the tale (that of Radulfus
Tortarius, in verse c. 1090) with younger versions, in which the
two friends are clearly portrayed as saints, reveal that the
tale originally lacked the haliographic character of later
versions. The romantic versions more closely represent the
original form of the tale which probably came into existence in
southern France in the late 11th century. The popularity of the
tale is evidenced by the repeated adaptations of the story into
different narrative forms such as miracle play, exemplum, prose
and ballad.

A religious tale based upon the legends of the life of Buddha,
6th century Asian legends.
Translated from Georgian into Greek, and Greek into Latin in the
11th and 12th centuries. From the latter, the tale was
translated into European venaculars including Icelandic.

13th century saga translated from a lost version of the
Anglo-Norman Boeve de Haumtone. Like its Norman source,
the sprawling, adventure-filled narrative is replete with
betrayals, abductions, battles, intrigues and frustrated
romance, yet underscored with a Christian tone. The story
follows the ultimately tragic romantic adventures of Bevis, a
young prince sold to seamen by his mother, after he thwarts her
plot to have his father murdered by her intended suitor, the
Emperor of Germany, by killing the Emperor first. Bevis
spends his life fighting for the hand of Josvena, daughter
of King Erminrikr, first against false accusations, and then the
abduction by a giant whose life he had spared, and finally
against her legal suitor. Bevis is ultimately reunited
with Josvena after many years only to find her gravely ill. Sick
with grief, he lies down by her side and they both die.

A native Icelandic saga composed before 1500, which
follows the adventures of two brothers seperated violently at an
early age. As adults they both end up in the African paradise of
Blómstrvöllr ('Plain of Flowers') where they duel for supremacy
of rulership of the land. Reunited through the action of mutual
friends, they each recount their life story. The saga ends with
a magnificent wedding feast in the fabled land.
The author borrowed heavily from other sagas, particulary Þidreks Saga af Bern.

An Old Norse rendering of Geoffrey of Monmouth's
Latin Historia regum
Brittanniae (c. 1136) with additions from other sources.
The text is poorly preserved existing in both a longer and a
shorter redaction, the shorter of which is found in Hauksbók.
The abridgement is especially pronounced at the end, which is
unfortunate since Hauksbók is the only extant manuscript of
Bretta sögur to contain the last chapters of the work.
The longer redaction is represented by two 14th century
manuscripts, both defective. One has several lacunae and ends
defectively within Valvers þáttr, which follows the death of
King Arthur (Historia, Book 11) in this manuscript; the other
breaks off in Historia, Book 5. A badly multilated fragment of
an otherwise lost 14th century manuscript containing a fuller
text of Bretta sögur was discovered in the binding of an
Icelandic manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin in 1968.

A native Icelandic tale dating from the beginning of the 14th century.
The story concerns Bæringr, the rightful heir to the throne of
Saxonland, who must recapture his father's kingdom from the
sorcerer Heinrekr.

A maiden-king romance which may stem from a lost Latin
poem. According to an introductory passage in one group of
manuscripts, the tale was "found" in France in Latin meter. The
tale was then "told" c. 1300 by Jon Hallðorsson, then a student
in Paris, later a bishop in Skálholt. If so, the Latin original
is lost. This story appears to have given rise to the
maiden-king genre in Old Icelandic, which also includes: Dínus
saga drambláta, Nitida saga, Sírgarðs saga frækna, Sigurðar saga
sögla, and Viktors saga ok Blávus.

Dámusta saga
The Saga of Damusti

A native saga probably from the 14th century, which is
difficult to classify because of its religous and moral
elements. Damusti, the son of one of King Jon of Saxony's
wisemen, falls in love with a Grecian princess, murders her
intended bridegroom with the consent of the wisemen, and
ultimately obtains her hand with supernatural assistance. When
the princess dies of a fatal illness, the Virgin Mary instructs
him to go to her grave and defeat a giant there, who gives him a
potion to resurrect her. When her father passes away, Damusti
becomes Emperor.

A native Icelandic saga composed in the 14th century, transmitted in three redactions that vary considerably.
The story concerns haughty Prince Dinus of Egypt, who is
enchanted by a spell with a burning desire for the equally
haughty Princess Philotemia of Bláland (Ethiopia). They
exchange a series of vengeful spells and counterspells before
eventually reconciling and marrying. The text unites the
bridal-quest motif with that of the maiden king.

A comparatively short riddarsaga, probably composed
at the beginning of the 14th century, concerning a young man
named Jon who can interpret dreams. Earl Heinrekr of Saxland is
jealous and hopes to steal his talent by eatinghhis heart.
Heinrekr's wife Ingibörg who has consented to kill Jón in his
sleep, deceives her husband and saves Jón at the last moment,
substituting a dog's heart. The Emperor of Saxland comes to
Heinrikr with a dream he cannot interpret, and soon learns from
his wife that Jón is not dead. Jón is brought before the
Emperior, where he tells his own story and interprets the dream,
which signifies the Queen's adultery. The emperor puts the Queen
and her lover on a ship never to return and exiles Heinrekr. The
saga ends with the marriage of Jón and Ingibörg, and Jón
receiving his earldom. The tale was popular in Iceland as
evidenced by five vellum mss. and about 45 paper mss.

Ectors [Hektors] saga ok kappa hans
Hectors Saga and his Champions

A native riddarsaga dating from
the late 14th to early 15th century, preserved in 45 manuscripts.
After a brief summary of the events of the Trojan war, the story
relates the adventures of a young Prince of Thecisia, dubbed a
knight at 17, named Ector after the Tojan hero Hector. At
a tournament, he defeats six princes, who afterward offer him
service. Living together in Ector's castle, the 7 knights decide
to go off in search of adventure and agree to return after one
year. Their seven adventures are related in turn. This saga with
its seven tales of adventure represents the sole Ielandic
expression of the medieval frame narrative. The episodes all
employ the common folktake structure in which a hero sets out
alone or with a companion to defeat an opponent who is menacing
a kingdom, and as reward is granted the hand of a princess.
Unity is achieved in the frame, but also through the device of
interlacing such as when the hero of the sixth adventure gets
the bride of the seventh, and visa versa. The
borrowed material appears to originate from an unusually
eclectic variety of sources.

Elis Saga ok Rósamundu
The Saga of Elis and Rosamunda

Translated from the French "Elie de Saint Galle",
with 11 additional chapters added to
expand the epic. The saga combines the themes of
the Christian-Pagan conflict, with that of the
Exile-Testing-Return. Written in the "court style" and marked by
a high degree of alliteration, the story is unusual in that it
retains the narrating persona of the French original, which
directly address the audience and later appeals for attention.

Probably written along
with the Norse adapatations of
Chrétien's Yvain (Ivens saga) and
Perceval (Parcevals saga) for the court of King Hakon Hakonarson
of Norway (r. 1217-1263), this saga is perhaps the most
abbreviated and, structurally, the most divergent from its
source. Ther eis some reordering of the hero's adventures with
two more added (in ch. 10), as well as the addition of an
epilogue which gives a brief account of Erex later career and
his descendants. The saga is further distinguished from its
source by the addition of a number of didactic passages about
the moral responisbilities of kings and noblemen. The story
concerns the early success, followed by a knightly lapse,
self-imposed exile and eventural reintergration into chivalric
society of the Round Table knight Eric (Old Norse Erex). Stung
by criticism from his bride Enide (Old Norse Evida) for his
self-indulgant withdrawal from public life after their marriage,
he embarks with her on a hazardous journey which tests his
prowness to the full. Finally with his repuation restored and
enhanced, he resumes his rightful place in the Arthurian world
and succeeds his father, King Lac (Old Norse Ilax), on the
throne.

1965
Foster Warren Blaisdell,
Erex saga Artuskappa

Flóres saga konungs ok sona hans
The Saga of King Flores and his sons

Composed at the end of the 14th century. Although
certain motifs and characters point to foriegn influence, the
saga seems to be an original composition. In the tale, King
Flores of Traktia kidnaps Elina of Kartagia in Africa, who bears
him three sons. In Flores' absense, Elina's father arrives and
takes back his daughter and her children. The boat is
shipwrecked. In time, Flores remarries and sires a daugher named
Elina. Sintram a knight falls in love with Flores' daugher
Elina. After a fierce fight for her, Flores captures Sintram,
kills his two brothers, and takes three knights in his retinue
hostage. Awaiting their execution, the three knights recount
their life stories, allowing Flores to recognize them as his
three lost sons. Flores pardons them all. Sintram marries Elina,
and his three sons become rulers of England, Gaskonia and
Africa.

Translated from French
"Floire et Blancheflor'
(12th century).
Composed in Old Norwegian prose
probably between 1220 and 1230. The saga is a Christian
romance about the young, loving couple Flores and Blankiflur. He
is Islamic and she is Christian. Both are born on Palm Sunday,
the day Catholics carry blessed branches and flowers.
Blankiflur's mother is taken hostage on her pilgramage to Spain,
and Blankiflur is raised together with Flores at the royal court
of his father. Despoite their mutual love, th king doesn't want
his son to marry the daughter of a Christian prisoner, as so
sells Blankiflur to the King of Babylon. Discovering this,
Flores sets off to find her. After much traveling her
finds he engaged to be wed to an oriental king, who keeps her
locked in a tower with 40 virgins. After a victorious single
combat, Flores frees her and returns home where he is crowned
king and marries Blankiflur. Thanks to the initiative of
Blankiflur, Flores and his people adopt Christianity, and in
time their son assumes rule of the kingdom.

"Three epic poems of chivalry in the knittel
meter translated into Old Swedish from prose or metrical
originals. According to statements in each of their conclusions,
they were translated on the initiative of Queen Eufemia of
Norway in the years 1303, 1308, and 1311."
Mediveal Scandinavia,
An Encyclopedia.

of the 13th century,
is probably not a translation, but as its rambling style
indicates, an adaptation of a lost French chanson de geste.
There is no connection other than name with the Chanson de
Floovant. The saga operates on such stock and trade motifs of
the chanson de geste as the rescue of the
Christian warrior by a heathen princess who subsequently
converts to Christianity and marries the hero, the suspension of
combat for elevated prayer, the enumeration of military forces,
the often lavish expressions of mutal admiration by fellow
brothers-in-arms, a fondness for carnage and multilation,
and the loud tauntings and ravings particularly of the
infidels.

Gibbons saga
The Saga of Gibbon

Composed in Iceland in the 14th century.
An amalgam of two motifs: maiden king romance and the union
between a human and a fairy, from which it is indebted to Klári
Saga and Paralopa Saga respectively. The tale shares and overall
plot structure with Rémundar Saga, and elements appear to have
been borrowed from
Víktors Saga ok Blávus.

Gibbons Saga, ed. R.I. Page, 1960.

Gyðinga Saga The Saga of the Jews
Titled "Historia Judica" by Arni Magnuson.

Fragments of the oldest manuscript date to around 1300.
The tale covers about 220 years of Jewish history from the
oppression of the Jews by Antiochus IV, and
their resistance under the Macabees until
Jewish independence in 142 B.C.

Hrings saga ok Tryggva
The Saga of Hring and Tryggvi

Probably dates from the 14th century. Only two vellum
manuscripts from the 15th century survive. Hrings saga ok
tryggva is not a riddarsaga, despite the fact that its principle
characters are noble. There is no knight nor conventionally
chivalric themes. The saga is best classified among the
lysisögur, 'lying-sagas', an intermediary between riddarsögur
and fornaldarsögur.

Translated from French. Based on the work of Chrétien de
Troyes. While remaining faithful to the substance of its source,
this saga adhere to the pattern of other translated riddarsögur
omitting editorial intruion and reducing description. Iven fails
to strike the proper balance between prowess and love, causing
the breakdown of his marriage by forgetting to return at the
agreed upon time from a year of triumphant combat, After a
series of adventures acompanied by a lion he rescued from a
dragon, in which the hero proves himself to be of exceptopnal
valor and worth, the couple are successfully reconciled.

Jarlmanns saga ok Hermanns The Saga of Jarlmann and Hermann

An indigenous Icelandic saga presumably
composed in the 14th century, and transmitted in approximately
sixty manuscripts. Jarlmanns saga follows the bridal-quest
pattern in which there is a proxy-wooer, and is structured
around multiple wooings, rival suitors, and the abduction of a
bride.

Jóns saga leiksveins
or Jóns saga leikara
The Saga of Playmate John
or The Saga of Jon the Player.

Probably composed in the 14th century.
A simple, well-structured saga which moves swiftly from event to
event, using well-established native motifs, with some signs of
foriegn influence. No complete edition of the saga has yet
appeared in print.

This romantic saga deals with three generations of a family,
principally focusing on its eponymous hero. Probably
dates from the 14th century. Exists in three fragmentary
manuscripts from the 15th century. The plot of this saga is
repetitious and without suspense. The style of the
compostion contains a tedious abundance of alliterating word
chains. The main thread seems to be a series of three bride
winnings, all by force. The saga contains a great amount of
learned lore, mainly of foriegn origin but borrowed from Norse
sources such as Stjórn.

With no known foriegn-language source, the saga is a
fine specimen of early indigenous riddarsaga combining elements
from native tradition with more fashionable ones from the
Continent. The dominant theme is not that ignorance is a basic
fault, but that naiveté and blindness to reality, inevitably
lead to great peril.

No known foriegn-language source. The saga is unique among
ridaarsögur in that the hero's conversion to Christianity
plays an important part in the story. Although early
editors postulated foriegn sources, there is no evidence
that Mírmanns Saga is not a native composition. It borrows
and adapts themes from continetal sources, but successfully
shapes the borrowed material into a finely wrought whole
with a strong narrative thread. The most unusual aspect is
the active role of three female characters, and the
correspondingly passive role of Mírmann himself.

Translated from the Old French fabliau Le Lai
du cort mantel, a rather frivilous piece which
tells the story of a magic cloak brought to King Arthur's court
which can confirm the chastity of the women in his court. All of
them fail in one way or another, until Karadin's shy lady is
brought forth. The saga is the only known Old Norse translation
of an Old French

2000 Margaret Clunies Ross, Old
Icelandic Literature and Society: "Nitida
saga (LMIR V) provides the most extensive
demonstration of the global consciousness of the riddarasogur.
Near the beginning of the saga, a lush island called Visio,
located at the end of the earth, is said to contain four magic
stones through which the whole world can be seen. Later,
Nitida, queen of France, uses them to show
the hero, Liforninus, every corner of the world: from France to
Greece; the North (Norway, Iceland, the Faroes, the Hebrides,
the Orkneys, Sweden, Denmark, England, Ireland); the East and
everywhere else."

The Old Norse version of the story of Partenpeus
de Blois from 1182-85, translated from French before teh 14th
century in Norway or Iceland.

1983 Lise Præstgaard Andersen, Partalopa saga

Parcevals Saga
The Saga of ParcevalBased on the work of Chrétien de
Troyes.
Translated from French.

Rémundar saga keisarsonar
The Saga of Remund, Son of an Emperor

Composed in the middle of the 14th century, it is the longest of
the indigenous riddarsögur and has no known foriegn-language source.
After a feast, Remundr, the son of the Christian king of
Saxland, dreams of a strange country with three fantastic
buildings. The third is a castle with a revolving chamber on
top. In the dream, Remundr weds a beautiful maiden, but awakes
before he can consumate the relationship. When he awakes, the
wedding ring is on his finger. The remainder of the tale
chronicles his efforts to obtain her. His first obstacle is a
giant named Eskupart, who wounds him in battle leaving the point
of his sword lodged in his head, via a curse that can only be
broken by Elina, the woman of the dream. Arriving in Africa, he
must fend off the advances of a king's daughter and as a
consequence is attacked by the king's men. His affliction
worsens in India until an archbishop sends Elina to remove the
piece of iron from his head. When the Prince of Sicily arrives
to woo her, Remundr defeats him. With the help of a stone that
renders him invisible, he is able to pay nightly visits to her.
After returning home and fending off a pagan invasion of his
country, he returns to India by way of Jerusalem with an army of
20,000 men, marries Elina and returns to Saxland to be crowned.

1909 Sven Grén Broberg, Rémundar saga keisarsonar

Rómverja saga
The Saga of the Romans

1878 Sturla Þórðarson, Guðbrandur
Vigfússon Islendinga saga
:"Rómverja Saga may perhaps
be fitly noticed here; it is a paraphrase of Sallust's
Jugurthine War and Lucan's Pharsalia, and curious as the only
version of any portion of classical literature which, as far as
we know, was ever attempted in Norway or Iceland."

Composed in 14th century Iceland, the saga is characterized by
an unusually large number of Biblical and Classical allusions.
Over a third of the saga is taken up by blow-by-blow
descriptions of battles. The tale relates the adventures of the
vain Prince Saulus and his struggles to wed Potentiana, the
sister of his sworn brother Duke Nikanor. Saulus' primary rival
and military opponent is the heathen duke Mattheus, who aided by
his fellow heathen Duke Abel, leads an army against Nikanor's
kingdom and carries off Potentiana. Posing as entertainers,
Saulus and Nikanor manage to free her, and mount a successful
military campaign to block Mattheus' effort to recapture her.
Saulus marries Potentiana in Rome, and the two heroes go on to
rule their respective kingdoms until their deaths in old age.

Samsons saga fagra
The Saga of Samson the Fair

Probably composed late in the 14th century,
the tale has two distinctive parts; the first is a romance in
the Arthurian style, mingled with fairy-tale motifs; the second
part (titled 'Sigurðar þáttr') resembles other late
fornaldarsögur, but shows knowledge of Snorri's Edda, older
fornaldarsögur, and other scholarly literature.

The saga was composed to reveal, among
other things, the history of the magic chastity-testing cloak in
Möttuls saga before it reached King Arthur's court, referring to
the story as Skikkju saga.

1921 Henry Goddard Leach, Angevin Britain
and Scandinavia: "For the 'Saga of
Samson
the Fair' no prototype is known in English or French.
This romance, which will reward a careful reading, may be
summarized as follows: King Arthur of England had a son called
Samson the Fair. At his father's court was an Irish hostage,
Princess Valintina, with whom he fell in love. Thinking such a
match unequal, the king sent her home to her father, King
Garlant of Ireland. King Garlant took his daughter on a voyage
to visit his realms beyond the seas in Brittany. Here a thief
named Kvintalin enticed the maiden into the woods by the luring
music of his harp. Search for her proved vain, and Garlant
returned sorrowful to Ireland. Meanwhile the girl was protected
from harm by the magic arts of Samson's fostermother Olimpia.
Believing Valintina dead, Samson was about to marry a Breton
princess, when he found Valintina and captured Kvintalin. The
thief promised to become his man, and so did his dwarf Grelant.
For punishment, the abductor was sent on a distant voyage to the
Land of the Little Maids to steal the precious mantle of many
colors that served as a test for chastity. The second part of
the saga recounts the search, reminding the reader of various
Celtic examples of quests for magic objects. It records the
early history of the mantle, describes its wonderful properties,
and tells of the elfwomen who wove it in fairy land. Valintina
passed the test and was awarded the mantle. Samson celebrated
his wedding, and ruled happily over England."

One of the most heavily transmitted
riddarsögur, perhaps composed at Oddi in Southern Iceland in the
third quarter of the 15th century, this tale is among the
youngest of this genre. The story shares a striking thematic
relationship with the fornaldarsögur, and includes familar
elements such as magic weapons and a nið contest.

1990 Marianne E. Kalinke, Bridal-Quest Romance in
Medieval Iceland:
"Sigrgards saga ok Valbrands is unusual in that the man who,
according to the rules of bridal-quest narrative, should not
only obtain his bride but also live happily ever after with her,
is cruelly slain just as the quest is completed."

Sigurdar saga fóts ok Ásmundar Húnakongs
The Saga of Sigurd Foot and Asmundr King of the Huns

A short saga probably composed in Iceland in the 14th
century. Favored by the critics for its brevity and similarity
to other native fornaldarsögur.

1931 Jess Hamilton Jackson,
Siguthar saga fots ok Ásmundar Húnakongs

Sigarðar saga turnara
The Saga of Sigurd the Jouster

Composed in Iceland in the 14th century, the story is
composed of coventional motifs borrowed from native and foriegn
source. The plot although eclectic, is a good story, well told
without excessive rhetorical elaboration.

Sigarðar saga þögla
The Saga of Sigurd the Silent

A maiden-king romance composed in Iceland in the 14th
century, which exhibits direct borrowing from several other
riddarsögur. The prologue is also found in two manuscripts of
Göngu-Hrólfs saga. the tale is characterized by a sense of humor
not fround in other sources.

The collection contains 11 of the 12 lais
traditionally attributed to Marie de France, six anonymous
lais found in other collections and four lais for
which no French source has survived. Apparently undertaken
during the reign of king Hákon Hákonson (1217-1263), according
to the prose prologue, the Strengleikar primarily exist in one
Norwegian manuscript from about 1270.

1902 Rudolf Meissner,
Die Strengleikar
1979 Robert Cook, Strengleikar:
An Old Norse Translation of Twenty-One Old French lais.

Tiódels saga
The Saga of Tiódel

Badly transmitted, the saga is preserved in 24
manuscripts dating from as early as 1600. The saga is closely
related to the Old French Lai de Bisclavret by Marie de France
and its Old Norwegian translation Bisclaretz ljóð, the fifth of
the Strengleikar collection. Tiódels saga is most likely based
on the latter, as it contains the same deviations from the
French original.

Translated from Old French by "brother Robert" under the
auspices of the Norwegian King Hakon Hákonarsson in
1226, according to a passage preceding the saga in the
paper manuscript. The translator has omitted all of the
explanations supplied by the poet and shortened most of
the interior monologues. He has, on the other hand,
embellished the story with rhetorical ornamentation, and
has used some sources that scholars have attributed to
the "vulgar" branch of the Tristam material.

Translated from Latin, the saga is an Old Norse
retelling of the Trojan war legends, ultimately derived from the
Latin narrative De excidio Troiae historia. The story
survives in three redactions, indicating a common origin in a
lost archetype probably composed in the 13th century.

1981 Jonna Louis-Jensen,
Trójumanna Saga: The Dares Phrygius version

Valvers þáttur
The Tale of Valver
Based on the work of Chrétien de Troyes

An indigenous, original riddarsaga composed in Iceland
in the 15th century. The saga presents a typical and ideal
example for the earliest period of this late medieval genre.
Manuscript translamission suggests its origins lie in Western
Iceland.

An Icelandic chronicle of world history from the
Creation to the 12th century, divided according to the Six Ages.
The tale survives in two redactions A and B, dating from the
beginning of the 14th century and 1200, respectively. The story
is complete only in manuscripts from 1600 onward. Sources appear
to include: Bede's and Isadore's chronicles, the Bible, Bible
commentaries, Rómverja saga, unspecified German annals and
chronicles, and other sources.

Viktors saga ok Blávus
The Saga of Viktor and Blavus

The lively adventures of Viktor, the son of the king of
France, and Blávus, a prince traveling on a magic carpet. Though
much of the material is of foriegn inspiration, the story has no
known continental model and is presumably a native Icelandic
composition from the later half of the 14th century.

A native Icelandic saga composed in the late 14th or
early 15th century. A voluminous saga characterized by a large
number of exotic motifs, which degenerates into a repetitious
series of battles with trolls and giants, forming a a sprawling
work without a semblance of overall structure. Critical
commentary on this saga has been limited to motif hunting. The
Allra flagða þula (list of all trolls) has special
interest and has been edited seperately on
two occassions.

Vilmundar saga viðutan
The Saga of Vilmundar from Outside

A tale bordering between the fornaldarsögur and
riddarsögur probably composed in the 14th century. Vilmundar is
said to be the grandson of Bögu-Bosi from Bósa saga. The tale is
characterized by a number of folkloristic motifs, including the
shoe motif, and thus is sometimes considered to be the oldest
example of the Cinderella fairy tale. While in the forest
one day, Vilmundar finds a golden shoe, and later encounters
three women, one of whom is missing a shoe. The woman, the
Prince's sister Sóley, will only marry the man who brings it
back to her. In the story, the hero must shed his country
ways and take on the refinement of the court in order to marry
the Prince's sister.

Sometimes classified as a
Fornaldarsaga, the saga
probably came into existence in the 14th century. On the basis
of the bridal-quest plot, a popular structural device in both
these genres, the text connects a large number of well-known
themes and motifs to create a new and independant whole: the
anonymous winter-guest, the magic gold-dripping ring (cf.
Draupnir in Eddic mythology), the portrait of a remote beloved,
the search for her as a central plot, the meeting with helpful
dwarves, the usurption by a traitor, the murder of the hero's
father, the exile of the hero in his youth, and the she-wolf who
licks a honey-smeared boy freeing him. The structure of the plot
in this saga is noteworthy because it deals with the
constellations of two heroes, Prince Eirikr of Valland and Jón
(the mysterious winter guest). The bridal quest, the revenge and
the gaining of power are partly divided between two different
plots, which have a number of details in common regarding motif
and structure, in which the hero and the helper change roles.